I wish someone told me to focus on this when I started Oval!

[@bramcoteelectrical1088]

My old man was an accountant and he sat me down ages ago and we worked out an hourly rate to make profitable. Issue now days is raising costs and materials and ongoing training. I am lookong to retrain as a driving instructor as need now a 2nd income to support my life. The biggest isssue is raising material costs eating into baselone profit. Having to work harder to make a profit now day or longer hours or taking on less desirable jobs that are major hassle. £50.00 per hour 15 yrs ago was good...now your into £75.00 per hour. Take a fuseboard was £550 all in and tested now you need to charge £1200.00 to be profitable 📈 😮 and that puts off customers from upgrading and making there home safer. Being a sparky is getting harder 😪 and there is alot of increasing competition in solar companies coming in that wont do a quality job so cut corners. Do you do a very high quality job or cut corners like others?

[@herrtomas6729]

Some people don't realise all the on-costs to deal with; for example, you need to 'earn' 0.4 days each week to cover an employee's holiday pay. Then factor in training, memberships, insurances, tools, stock, and 'rainy day' funds.... People don't always realise why you charge what you do 'just to be there for an hour or two'.

[@OvalRenewables]

Very true. There are many costs that cause you to come to your hourly rate

[@nicksimmons7234]

Even if they cost a little more and you don’t save as much in tax a good accountant is worth it in the long run.